Steel Valves

[Bankrupt Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bankrupt]

Does anyone use steel bolt in valves?

The reason I asked is that I have just purchased a set of the steel 17x7" Toyota steelies to use as off road rims.

When I went to the tyre shop today to have some BF Goodrich A/T's fitted and asked for steel valves the bloke looked at me and asked me why would I want such a thing.

When I explained the possibility of ripping out the rubber ones he said he had never heard of it.

I'm bemused now as from my background (V8 track racing) some cars can't get licenced without steel valves as they deem the rubber ones a safety risk.


Thoughts?

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: Steel Valves

Does anyone use steel bolt in valves?

All of us with factory alloy wheels have steel, bolt in valves....


I've never heard of anyone ripping out a rubber valve... you would have to be extremely unlucky to have that happan I would think.

Mick

[LostDingo2 Find all posts View Profile Close LostDingo2]

Re: Steel Valves

I used to have this problem in the USA with wheel spin in Mississippi gumbo mud....awful stuff that mud and you soon appreciate a large V8!

Anyway with a rubber valve stem it was very common to pull them out. Long stem steel valves would snap off. Short stem steel stems...never had a problem.

The Toyo ones are good because of the sleeve that screws over the stem...adds strength. They are pricey though at the point of ridiculous but good kit for the alloys.

[Bob P Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bob P]

Re: Steel Valves

Does anyone use steel bolt in valves?

My 07 Prado came new with them and because of their shortened length would not allow me to extract the core fully with my ARB thingy device to allow adequate "quick" deflation so I've replaced then all with (longer - standard) rubber ones

Personally never seen, witnessed or heard of any problems with rubber valves being damaged in any way with a tubeless tyre

Different story with tubed tyres......but thats the inner tube moving within the tyre when pressured down low....thats why off road bikes run security bolts

I always carry spare cores and caps as I've had core failure in the past.............

[Jacto Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jacto]

Re: Steel Valves

Hey guys

You are all correct but it does not matter what you use there is always a risk whether it be snapping a steel valve or tearing a rubber stem out of the rim. The shorter steel valves are better because there is less length to use as leverage when something comes up hard against it, rubber is flexible up to a point but with age becomes hard and brittle; rubber valves should also be replaced whenever new tyres are fitted.

I have fitted TPMS steel valves with internal sensors to my alloys and carry the original valves as spares in my kit just in case but touch wood, in 35 years of 4WDriving and eating, sleeping and living tyres in that industry, I have never had a valve stem break - rubber or steel